34 Backpacks – An Ongoing Commemoration of Yemeni Children Killed on August 9

Felton Davis, who coordinates a weekly vigil in NYC calling for an end to the U.S. war against Yemen, sent us a letter written by Yemen’s Minister of Education which names the students and teachers who were killed when a Saudi warplane fired a 500 lb. bomb, made in the US, at their school bus. We feel relieved to know that ten children whom we believed had died are actually alive. The number of children killed was 34, not 44. Four of their teachers were killed along with 12 passers-by. 78 people were wounded, including 55 students. Our hearts also go out to the first responders, EMT workers and hospital staff whose courageous efforts to save and heal people also involved trying to determine the number of dead.

We encourage people to continue commemorating those who died in the April 9, 2018 attack. In Chicago, Voices and other peace groups gathered in the Federal Building Plaza where we set up blue backpacks to commemorate each child who had been killed. (UNICEF had issued blue backpacks to the children before they went on their outing).

Please let us know if you would like to set up a similar vigil in your area. We can equip people with placards describing the attack and naming each victim; we can also supply photos, sample fliers, press releases and information about setting up backpacks. Contact Voices at 773-878-3815 or write info@vcnv.org.